User blog:Gcapp1959/Degrassi 1.0.1 - segment ten (provisional)
Provisional segment In late October, Snake’s older brother came to visit, an awkward time for him and his parents, as Glen revealed that he was homosexual, or in his words, “gay”. Snake avoided Joey and Wheels in talking about it, but he did ask Geoff. “What should I do about my brother? He says he’s gay. That’s not normal, my parents say, but he’s my brother!” “Yes, he’s your brother. And even if he wasn’t, Snake, he’s still somebody you need to care about. He needs it even more than anyone else.” “I’m surprised to hear you say that!” “Why’s that?” “Your religion and all that. I figured being gay would be a sin.” “Yeah, but... Snake, who of us hasn’t sinned in some way? Told a lie? Disliked something our parents asked us to do? Teeny tiny little thefts like a photocopy on someone else’s copier?” Snake shrugged. “Your brother’s no different. But that doesn’t mean you can’t like him. You disagree with his sexual choice. Fine. But like him for who he is and who you need him to be. Like him so he’ll keep in touch. Like him so he’ll see how you live and compare it to his own choices.” “He claims being gay isn’t a choice, Geoff.” “He may believe that. To a point, it could be true. But the thing is, he knows it’s not normal, it’s not... the way we’re put together. And why do your parents not like it?” “They say it’s against God’s plan.” “So, then, your brother knows that God has prohibited it. So he could choose to obey God and refuse what he believes is natural for him, or choose to disobey God and take the risks that God’s trying to keep him from taking that would hurt him. Or hurt others.” “You think being gay can hurt?” “I don’t know. But when you buy a fan or a drill or something, it comes with instructions and safety information. Because the manufacturer knows that only if you use it a certain way, are you probably going to be safe. God is our ‘manufacturer’, so He must know what we shouldn’t do ‘cause it’d be unsafe. The Bible is His instruction manual to us on how to live the life He gave us.” Snake snickered, though not disrespectfully. “Some manual. It’s so big it takes years to read!” “We’re not simple widgets! But it’s not just a book of rules, it’s also a book telling us where we came from, how it shaped one of the great cultures of our world, how it came to the place where Jesus fits in.” “Geoff, I... I love my brother. It just... seems awkward to tell him. And besides, my dad doesn’t want him at home anymore.” “That’s their loss and your brother’s. They need him as much as he needs them. How’s he ever going to understand your dad if your dad won’t have him hang around? He doesn’t have to agree with your brother. He oughta... take all of you out for dinner... all four of you. Let your brother see how happy it makes your dad and mom to be together. How normal it is. Your brother can still say it’s normal for him to be with a man. Does your dad golf?” “Yeah.” “Suggest he take your brother out to the golf course. Walk around and talk about anything. Give your brother someone to bounce his talk off of.” “I don’t know, Geoff. Glen and my dad were always at odds. Dad was so busy with his business for a lot of the time. When I was about... six... he finally started spending more time at home, but Glen was twelve. Glen was hanging around with other guys by then. And no matter how many times my dad tried, Glen just didn’t want to hang with him. Dad stopped trying... and spent more time with me.” “Hm. But Glen wants to be with your dad now, right?” “Yeah.” “Ask your dad to try again. He doesn’t have to agree with Glen’s choices. Just... give him time.” Geoff suddenly remembered his and Voula’s first visit together with Spike. “Um... make it a threesome... the three guys. Then... pull a bit of a disappearing act. If it’s on the golf course... pretend you’re looking for your ball or something in the rough. Tell them you’ll take care of it... and leave the two of them. But tell your brother in advance not to... bring up his own... you know. Just... ordinary stuff. Sports... weather... cars... jobs...” Snake grinned. “I getcha.” The following Monday, Snake gave Geoff a thumb’s up. As Geoff later learned, Glen, who also had done some golfing, had played with Mr. Simpson, and Snake caddied for his dad. ** In early November, Caitlin and Liz became active on the issue of animal rights. “Will you support our animal rights cause?” Liz asked of Voula and Geoff as they sat eating lunch. “What cause is that, exactly?” Geoff asked. “We believe animals have the same rights as humans,” Liz said. “It’s wrong to be using them to test things like make-up or other cosmetics. Or for medical experiments.” “Well, Liz,” Voula said, “my aunt is diabetic. The cure for diabetes was discovered here in Canada by two doctors who used dogs to develop the cure.” “And while I agree,” Geoff said, “that make-up and cosmetics are a dumb way to use animals, let’s be clear that animals are not our equals. They don’t know about human laws like trespassing or fighting or two-lane traffic rules.” “So you think animals have no rights at all?!” Liz demanded. “No, I think animals have the right to be used humanely.” “Like in medical tests that may help people,” Voula said. “But not to test cosmetics that’re just... for decoration.” “Animals should die in as little pain as possible,” Geoff went on. “When we use them for food, they shouldn’t suffer. They shouldn’t be kept in cages their whole lives, but only when they’re being moved. And they should be killed quickly before they’re turned into food.” “So, you think animals don’t have the same rights as you?” Liz asked pointedly. “No. They wouldn’t... the carnivores or the territorial ones... wouldn’t treat us the way we treat others. Would a mother bear give you a warning and hope you understood? Or would she attack until her cubs were safe? Would a lion realize you’re intelligent and wouldn’t hurt it, and therefore leave you alone? No. They’re beasts. They’re in subjection to man, whether they’re tame or not. They’re there for our... judicious use. Not for our sport, not to entertain us as they suffer, but to use to live. I agree they shouldn’t be used to test cosmetics or things we use to beautify ourselves, but if an animal’s fur coat keeps us from freezing to death, then it died for a good reason. If it keeps us from starving, again. But if it only is used to make sure lipstick won’t poison the person who puts it on, that’s not a good reason.” Liz stared at them both, shrugged, then started away. She stopped to look back to them. “I don’t think they should be used for any testing... but I admit you have a point about necessary and unnecessary.” She continued away. Later in the week, Caitlin and Liz parted ways as Caitlin couldn’t completely get the point across that her epilepsy drug was also achieved through animal tests. ** At the beginning of class on 9 January, Mr. Garcia told everyone to shake the hand of four others, no more. When it seemed enough hand-shaking had gone on, he asked them to go sit down. He asked who had the card with the letter A on it. Snake stood. Mr. Garcia told him he had AIDS. He asked those who shook Snake’s hand to stand up. He told them they also now had AIDS. He advised everyone else that they also could have been exposed to AIDS. Finally, he remarked that those who had a card with the letter “C” had been using condoms, and probably were not exposed to AIDS. Geoff raised his hand. “Yes, Geoff?” “What about those who abstain? You didn’t give an option for anyone to not shake hands.” Mr. Garcia’s eyebrows went up as several in the class tittered about Geoff’s “ridiculous” notion. Voula appeared to be quite interested to see what Mr. Garcia’s answer would be. “Well, that’s a good thought. I don’t see how...” The teacher trailed off. “You handed out the cards at the beginning. Tell those who have a ‘D’ card to not shake any hands.” “Or, Mr. Garcia,” suggested Voula, “give everyone the option to choose to shake only one hand, as long as it’s a person who hasn’t shaken any other hands yet. These would be people who are monogamous... sticking to one person ever their whole life.” “Yes, sir,” Geoff added, “and if there’s one person who can’t find a monogamous partner, they remain single and don’t shake any hands. If it happens to be the person with the A card, then AIDS doesn’t touch anyone else.” Mr. Garcia pondered. “That might work. Perhaps I’ll try it in one of the later classes today and compare the results and the reaction.” ** In late March, a large number of the students were excited about going to a concert. “Hey, Geoff, Voula, got your tickets yet?” asked Harold. “Tickets for what?” Geoff asked. “You kiddin’?! For Gourmet Scum!” “Gourmet...?” Voula began. “Scum?!” Geoff finished. “C’mon, it’s just a name! Hot stuff. Everybody who’s anybody’s going!” “Then I guess we’re... nobody!” Geoff grinned. “I told ya! Everybody’s going! Niners... eighters... even Spike’s goin’! And she’s got her baby to take care of!” “Well, we’re not going,” Voula said. “That just doesn’t interest us.” “Squares,” Harold muttered. “Even if you aren’t gonna go for the music an’ all...” He leaned down to them. “Luke knows where we can score some acid.” Voula gave a wary look of disapproval. “Why would we want acid?” Geoff asked. “That’s tricky stuff. Burn your hands badly if you spill it...” “LSD, you dope!” Harold whispered. “Oh, you mean a drug like what marijuana is used for, huh? Well, we’re not interested in that garbage, either.” “Garbage,” Harold scoffed. “You two are never gonna live any kind of life.” “Sure, we will,” Voula asserted. “A kind where we don’t do stupid things that hurt our bodies and our minds.” “That’s no life!” Harold sneered, walking away. A few days later, a couple of days after the concert, Shane McKay was found. “So, Gair,” Geoff said, coming upon Harold a day after that, “you must wish you’d done as well as Shane, huh? After all, your life must be so hum-drum compared to how well his life is going now. He’s really on top of the world now, huh?” Harold glared at Geoff. “He took that LSD,” Voula nodded, “lost connection with reality, and either fell off the bridge or was pushed off and couldn’t protect himself. But he’s having a wonderful life, huh?!” “Yeah, just the kind of life you wish you were living,” Geoff added, “and the kind you thought we should live. I guess we’re just two old squares that hate laughing and smiling and feeling good.” Geoff and Voula strolled off, arm in arm, to their class, as Harold glared after them. ** The machinations that began to murkily appear in 1987 reached full fruition in spring 1990 as the Degrassi Niners looked forward to finally leaving the school altogether. However, the mould found in Central High was far worse than thought, and instead of closing parts of the school for repair, the entire building was condemned. In line with contingency plans, Ash Elementary was being renovated to replace Central, while Cedar Elementary was about to be closed. Central was destined for demolition, though it had a lot of new hardware that was to be moved to Ash. The students of Grades 9 and 10 who were presently at Central, the Grade 8s and 9s at Degrassi and Queen Alexandra and the Grade 8s at George Brown, were polled about a name for the converted Ash Elementary. Voting was to take place the final day of classes, the morning after the graduation party in the case of Degrassi, Queen A and Brown. The choices offered were Central High or Ash High. Neither scored well in opinion and a third option was wanted. ** In mid-June, Joey persuaded Snake to join him in buying beer. Wheels wanted nothing to do with it. Clutch, an older boy, bought the beer for them, though taking four bottles as a “fee”. Joey had originally suggested including Geoff, but words from Snake gave him doubts. “Yeah,” Joey finally admitted. “He’d probably snitch on us about it. He’s the kind of square who’d follow the rules.” They didn’t need Geoff: a policeman came upon them while they were drinking it in public. ** At the Degrassi graduation dance, a fire started when the old boiler finally blew. Everyone got out in the nick of time, as inflammable containers in the basement exploded, heavily damaging the building, and rendering it a sooty, blackened ruin. “Oh, Geoff, I hope everyone got out!” Voula gasped as they stood across the street watching. Teachers were going through the group, making sure everyone was accounted for. It would be a complex task, also accounting for guests and caterers, but fortunately, it was a warm evening. “Degrassi’s finished,” they heard Yick Yu mutter nearby. Geoff had a thought. “Maybe not. Maybe we can save Degrassi.” “What?!” Yick demanded. “We’re voting tomorrow on the new name for our high school, right?” Geoff asked. “Why not vote Degrassi?” “It won’t even be on the ballot!” Kathleen sneered. “Ever heard of a write-in candidate?” Geoff asked. Everyone was looking at one another. Kathleen, usually skeptical and highly opinionated, was looking thoughtful. “But even the bunch of us wouldn’t be enough votes,” Yick said. “Let’s campaign,” Voula said. “Let’s be out there at the pool tomorrow morning early with signs and promote it.” “More than that,” Geoff said. “We need to get our votes out to the pool. Apathy is going to be our enemy. Let’s work this crowd. Tell everyone to show up tomorrow and write in Degrassi, and to tell everyone around them to do the same. Let’s get the word through this crowd! Go around again and again. Everyone who agrees, if you see someone coming at you, raise your hands high like this!” Geoff held his hands over his head, clasped together. “And chant ‘vote Degrassi’,” Yick added. “We’ll meet back at this corner once we’ve got lots of hands up in the air.” They began to disperse through the crowd of students, pushing the message. In only about four minutes, the crowd of students was chanting the words. Mr. Lawrence also was circulating through the crowd, evidently a bit puzzled at the chanting. “Spread the word, no classes tomorrow.” The final day of classes was canceled, but the vote went ahead at the swimming pool at nearby Schuyler Lions Aquatic Centre, where school swimming activities took place. Voula, Geoff, Yick, Kathleen, Arthur and a few other students had signs outside promoting a new choice of name for Ash Elementary. Degrassi High! The city already had a City Central High, Catholic Central High, Etobicoke Central High, East York Central High, North York Central High and Scarborough Central High. Too many “Central” schools in Toronto. So distinction seemed called for and Central High went down the tubes. Ash High was too much associated with the old elementary name, and the students didn’t want the stigma of it being an old elementary school being reflected in the name. Besides, Ash Elementary also fronted onto 45th Street East, but in times past, 45th had been known as Degrassi Street, so said historic signposts underneath the main street name signs. A school was built on the then-Degrassi Street in 1889, in the township of Broadview in the Boulton Plot. Though temporarily known as Public School 13, people called it Degrassi Public School to avoid “13”. In 1928, Broadview was annexed by Toronto, and the north-south streets were numbered, discarding duplicate names causing confusion around the city, particularly with a north-south Degrassi that didn’t intersect with an east-west De Grassi some distance away. Historically, there were a series of streets to the west of Queen Street with different names, one of which was De Grassi Street. Those were gradually linked together after 1935 under the name Degrassi Street, the last being Cathcart Street in a four-block run east to Queen Street. The east-west streets of the Boulton Plot remained named as is, though in 1951, Balsam Street was renamed Degrassi Street East, and an intersection alignment in 1962 lined Degrassi Street with Degrassi Street East through Boulton. Degrassi Public School, on a street no longer known by that name, was replaced in 1949 with a newer building three blocks east and three blocks north, and the name went with the enrolment and staff. With Balsam being renamed in 1951, Degrassi Public School was back on Degrassi Street. (In the 1950s, with complaints of traffic speeding through the many straight streets, and some accidents at the intersections, many of the streets were blocked with cul-de-sacs at mid-block, cutting off through traffic but allowing pedestrian and bicycle traffic to get through. From Queen Street on the west, 44th, 46th, 47th, 49th, 50th and 52nd were mostly severed this way, while 45th, 48th, 51st and 53rd were through streets.) A new elementary school was built in 1963 on the former site of Degrassi on 45th St, and named Ash for the cross street. Eventually, the Toronto school board decided to turn Degrassi into a junior high for the area. Ash, Cedar, Oak and William Davis elementary schools became junior elementaries, K-6, while Degrassi became a junior high, in 1969. Now, that school on former Degrassi Street was becoming a higher-grade school, and neither Central High nor Ash High had much appeal. The activist group with the signs took turns sending one person in to vote before coming out to hoist the sign again. Meanwhile, that day, voting was also taking place at Queen Alexandra Junior High and, south of Central Street, George Brown Junior High. When all was counted, the turnout from Degrassi was 99.2 percent of the 252 students in Grades 8 and 9. Queen Alexandra Junior High students, 170 in number, only had a 73 percent turnout – 124 voting. George Brown Junior High only had 53 percent voting: 48 out of 91 Grade 8 students. Queen Alexandra students had caught word of the write-in campaign and seven vainly wrote in their own school name. The ballots were not counted as valid. Two days before, at Central High, the Grade 9 and 10 students had gotten to vote out of a total enrolment of 1188. (Had the mould problem not curtailed space, the enrolment would have been 1458 including niners from Degrassi and Queen A.) Only 32 percent of the students in those grades voted: 147 out of 460. (The 96 Grade 9s at Central all came from George Brown.) When the votes were counted, the write-in ballots at first were put onto the reject pile, but as more and more came in, they set up a separate reject pile. When the final vote was read and all stacks were recounted, the vote was obvious. Degrassi High, 247 votes. Central High, 223 votes. Ash High, 92 votes. (Degrassi students voted 247-3 for Degrassi over Central. Queen Alex students voted 62-55, George Brown students voted 29-19, and Central students voted 129-18 for Central over Ash.) Because Degrassi was destroyed by fire at the end of June 1990, drastic action was required to meet junior high space. Cedar Elementary was renovated to become the new junior high for the area. With Ash taking the name Degrassi, Cedar Elementary ended up keeping the moniker “Cedar”, and it simply became Cedar Junior High after its make-over, replacing Degrassi Junior High. It made for a number of complex changes of charter at the school board downtown. Though there was acrimony at a board meeting about the complexity, the “legality” of a write-in name (the vote was simply a poll, not a legal instrument), and the fact that the school name was moving off the street of that name, the changes were approved. Central High vanished, Degrassi and Cedar were upgraded. The Panther mascot, slightly upgraded in its drawing and simplified, went with the Degrassi name, so the Central High Senators were no more on the city school sports scene. ** Geoff and Voula walked into the freshly-painted halls of Degrassi High in early September 1990, as workmen still finished up on some of the rooms, and furniture and books were still being toted inside. Geoff remarked at how familiar the school looked. The Panther logo had already been applied, and the school colours were shown as highlights. Looking down at them from a balcony was Dwayne Myers and two new sidekicks he’d picked up. Grade 10. Not all that many people anymore were sneering at Geoff and Voula’s relationship. ***** end of tenth segment (provisional) copyrighted story elements from the DJH episode (#31) “He Ain`t Heavy”, (#33) “The Whole Truth”, (#36) “Twenty Bucks”, (#38) “Taking Off, Part 2”, (#41) “Pa-arty!”, (#42) “Bye-Bye Junior High”. Category:Blog posts